Interconnected, stretchy, complete-circle headband (with or without fabric covering, with or without absorbent fabric covering, with or without patterned elastic, and with or without decorative embellishment) with separate but interlocked stretchy ponytail holder (with or without fabric covering) is used to simultaneously keep hair out of the face, while off the neck, while anchoring the headband in place such that it doesn't slip off the head. Hair can be fashioned into a back ponytail, side ponytail, or pigtails (two ponytails), or other hair-securing styles such as buns and braids. Decorative embellishments may or may not be used to enhance the function (of the interlocked but separate headband and ponytail holder) with fashion and fun.

1. We claim the utility of simultaneously holding hair back from the face and hair off the neck with separate but interlocked and non-detachable complete-circle headband and stretchy ponytail holder.

2. We claim the utility of anchoring a complete-circle stretchy headband in place by use of a stretchy ponytail holder that is interlocked but non-detachable, such that it doesn't slip off the head.

3. We claim the utility and function of fashionable function for various sports, errands, and other activities that are aided by keeping the hair off the neck, hair out of the face, and headband anchored in place all at once.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

D264391, May 1982, Schweitzer

U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,325, February 1988, Perry

U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,544, March 1991, Obergfell

D324765, March 1992, Obergfell

D344176, February 1994, Lawrence

U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,422, January 1997, Henderson

U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,585, February 1997, Stroup

U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,061, July 1997, Marcus

U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,488, March 1999, Milani

6076532, June 2000, Thomas et. al

D443954, June 2001, Blum et al.

D475804, June 2003, Stachowski

FOREIGN PATENTS

785551, August 1935, FR

283240, January 1914, DE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I claim the functional utility and ornamental design of a problem-solving mechanism for hair containment intended to be used for a variety of activities in women (even men) and girls (and/or boys with a similar need) of all ages, in order to be useful to simultaneously keep hair out of the face, off the neck, and to keep the headband in place. Is functional, but also can be fashionable (per the patterned elastic, fabric, and or decorative embellishments).

In early 2012, as a solution to a hair containment problem, 10 year old Ashley Genzlinger strung together several ponytail holder elastics with one additional hanging off but connected, resulting in a combined full-circle headband elastic with an interconnected ponytail holder. This all-in-one, non-detachable ponytail holder and headband combination solved three problems: 1) not having hair remain out of the face when in a ponytail, 2) not being able to keep hair off the neck when wearing a headband, and 3) having full-circle elastic headbands slide off. From this concept, a prototype was created of elastic, covered in fabric, sewn into a full-circle, stretchy headband, that has an interconnected, non-detachable ponytail holder. Together, the stretchy headband and stretchy ponytail keep hair off the face, hair off the neck, and the ponytail anchored in place. Non-fabric, elastic only headbands with interlocked ponytail holders were also created. The name “PonyBandz” is pending trademark. Fabric and non-fabric covered versions are often made with decorative embellishments such as large flowers, buttons, and bows. Interconnected stretchy headband with interlocked stretchy ponytail holders can be used by people of all ages who are looking to a solution to the hair containment problems listed above. They might be used for sports, teams, dance, gymnastics, tennis, soccer, golf, nursing or other medical staff, food industry and service industry workers, for running errands, washing ones face, gardening or cleaning house. The ponytail can be a side ponytail, back ponytail, bun, or pigtails (requiring two ponytail holders interconnected and interlocked with the headband).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Headbands have historically been used to keep hair back from and off the face. Ponytail holders have historically been used to keep hair off the neck. This is a novel concept that allows for both to occur simultaneously while also anchoring the complete-circle headband in place by the interlocked ponytail holder once it is secured in the hair.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Interconnected stretchy complete-circle headband with or without fabric covering, with or without patterned elastic, and/or decorative embellishment and interlocked stretchy ponytail holder is used to simultaneously keep hair out of the face, while off the neck, while anchoring the headband in place. It is used by putting the headband around the neck loosely, securing the hair in side, back, or two ponytails (pigtails) and then gently sliding the headband into place around the head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES

(Reference the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 Documents)

FIG. 1 document:

[FIG. 1]

FIG. 1 (File=“BluePonyBandz”) shows an interlocked stretchy complete-circle headband with a separate but interconnected stretchy ponytail holder with no embellishment other than the sequins affixed to the elastic.

FIG. 4 shows one way in which the new hair-containment apparatus might be used (in a side-ponytail) by an adult woman.

[FIG. 5]

FIG. 5 shows one way in which the new hair-containment apparatus might be used (in a side-ponytail) by a young girl.

FIG. 2 Document

[FIG. 6]

FIG. 6 shows the interlocked hair-containment solution with a flower embellishment in a back ponytail with hair pulled over the shoulder.

[FIG. 7]

FIG. 7 shows a side view of pigtails worn with the interlocked ponytail holders and headband with fabric covering.

[FIG. 8]

FIG. 8 shows a front view of pigtails worn with the interlocked ponytail holders and headband with fabric covering.

[FIG. 9]

FIG. 9 shows an interlocked headband with two ponytail holders for pigtails, with a flower embellishment.

[FIG. 10]

FIG. 10 shows the back view of an interlocked headband with ponytail holders worn in a the pigtails (two side ponytails) style.

[FIG. 11]

FIG. 11 shows a detailed drawing of the interlocked full-circle headband (which may or may not have fabric covering, may or may not be of colored or patterned elastic, and may or may not have decorative embellishments that are detachable or non-detachable) interconnected with a separate but non-detachable ponytail holder(s) which serves three simultaneous purposes: 1) to hold the hair off the neck, 2) to hold the hair back from the face, and 3) to anchor the headband in place by use of the ponytail hair retainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Interconnected stretchy complete-circle headband with or without fabric covering and/or decorative embellishment and separate but interlocked stretchy ponytail is used to keep hair out of the face, while off the neck, while anchoring the headband in place. It is used by putting the headband around the neck loosely, securing the hair in side, back, or two ponytails (pigtails) and then gently sliding the headband into place around the head. During manufacturing, the elastic headband has a full circle elastic ponytail holder slid over it before closure of the full circle headband. In this way, the ponytail holder is interlocked with the interconnected ponytail holder(s). May or may not be called PonyBandz™.

Under the spirit of this concept, the elastic used for the interlocked headband can be thin or thick, round or flat, covered with fabric or not, patterned or plain, embellished with decorations or not. The fabric, if used, can be moisture absorbent or not. The interconnected ponytail holder can be one, two or more, can be covered with fabric or not, and can be decorative itself or not. The elastic for the headband can be of various lengths in circumference from 12 inches to 24 inches.

NOTES

While the invention has been shown and described in detail in the foregoing description and pictures in the Appendices to the Specification, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character; it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. For example, all possible decorative combinations cannot be shown; nor can be shown all possibilities, such as using terry-cloth for the fabric covering in order to catch sweat for the active applications, or the ability to use two ponytail holders interconnected with the headband in order to allow for pigtails, or using coordinating or matching fabric to cover the ponytail holder as well as the headband or just the ponytail holder (as in “scrunchy” style of ponytail holder). Though such iterations are not shown and exhaustively described, it is our intent to protect similarly spirited applications of the concept.